An unabashed romantic in a guild that, like the butcher's union, isn't supposed to sample the marbled inventory that it handles on the job, Dameron tried to marry the sentimental products of Tin Pan Alley with the hard-edged experiments of be-bop.

When singing or scatting, Spalding often reveled in the tricky intervals associated with be-bop, but her phrasing was more syncopated and spirited, sometimes bringing to mind the likes of Al Jarreau and Flora Purim.

The musical, written and directed by Tom Mallan, tells the story of a group of friends making their way through post-Depression America and exploring the music of the era, everything from be-bop to the early sounds of rock-and roll.